Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 092712

The International Association of Wildland Fire sent along their September fire research newsletter (1); followed by an Op-Ed piece which asks why more conservation groups are advocating logging in public forests after years of fighting against such trends (2). A 4 mi.² wildfire outside of Campo, California, has been contained (3); while another blaze in Concow that has scorched 40 acres is now 30% contained (4); and a Burned Area Emergency Response team is working to restore parts of Lassen National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park burned by the Reading Fire (5); where Shasta County Air Quality Management indicated that out-of-state fires were making for smoky skies in the region (6). A summary of wildfire activity in the Pacific Northwest is provided by the next item (7). Rugged terrain is making for a tough fight for firefighters battling Oregon's Hood River Fire (8); the impact of wildfires on hunters in Washington State and Idaho being examined by the next article (9); five major fires in Washington state having consumed 186 mi.² (10); including the Table Mountain Fire, which is 15% contained after burning 37,677 acres (11); but Central Washington University's football team was forced to relocate again due to wildfire smoke (12). As Arizona's wildfire season comes to a close, the next article looks back on the blazes of 2012 (13); the next article taking a closer look at the National Forest Foundation's efforts at watershed remediation within parts of Colorado hard hit by wildfires (14). A summary of active wildfires in Idaho is up next (15); followed by a story from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that profiles an Erickson Air-Crane heli-tanker pilot (16). An update on Montana's 25,572-acre Elbow Pass Complex is provided by the next article (17); where the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has extended the official wildfire season into October (18); and it appears that wildfire smoke is even affecting air filters in automobiles (19); but an Op-Ed piece blames US Forest Service for a slow response to the Sawtooth Fire (20). Firefighters in South Dakota praised that state's fleet of six single-engine air-tankers (SEATs) which have helped battle wildfires (21); but cooler, shorter days have allowed Superior National Forest officials to lift fire restrictions in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (22); while a dry August is leading to early leaf fall in West Virginia, where Division of Forestry officials are concerned about the wildfire danger (23). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ed Story, CEO of the Aerial Fire Response & Research Network, sent along a dazzling video of Spain's 43 Grupo de Fuerzas Aéreas taking their CL-415 Super Scoopers into action over wildfires in Europe (24). A 50-hectare wildfire was reported in the Philippines' Davao Oriental province (25); while a 50-hectare wildfire has swept across the slopes of Mount Batur on the Indonesian island of Bali (26); and over 500 ha have been scorched by blazes in Central Java and East Kalimantan (27). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Richard Thornton, Research Director and Deputy CEO of Australia's Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre, weighs in on the challenging bushfire season ahead Down Under (28); a situation not helped by the problem of powerlines sparking bushfires (29). Plans to build an Australian Capital Territory Bushfire Museum are being aired by Liberal candidates (30). Fire agencies in Victoria projected how the bushfire season could unfold (31); even as they are working to issue more timely bushfire warnings to better protect the public (32). Back-burns have been credited by Queensland Fire and Rescue Service with helping to contain a 200,000-hectare bushfire near Mount Isa (33); while the next article takes a look at NSW National Park's preparations for bushfire season (34); Western Australia's Environment Minister indicating that new prescribed burning policies will be implemented as the program is reinitiated ahead of bushfire season (35). And finally, firefighters in Maryland are tickled pink to be participating in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!